"Several years ago the numbers of refugees who came to Europe skyrocketed. It marked a turning point in politics across the European continent and gave a boost to right-wing parties who vowed to clamp down on asylum-seekers and other migrants. In Norway, a group is helping refugees bring their skills into the labor market and turn their experiences into innovative business ideas."
"By launching companies, migrant entrepreneurs open new markets and help make their adopted countries wealthier. Germany does a decent job of supporting founders from abroad. There’s still lots of room for improvement though."
"If we want to make our economy more diverse and competitive, we need to make it easier to start up businesses and enable them to operate sustainably and successfully."
“Migration is an opportunity,” says the driven team behind Startup Migrants, Maria Amelie, Nicolai Strøm-Olsen and Esther Hayes Grossman. That’s why the trio embarked on the thrilling task of gathering the stories, the facts, and the figures that not only prove the enormous contribution migrants make to the European economy, but also help make it happen.
"When the entire community around you focuses very much on what you lack and not what you can contribute, you start to see yourself the same way," says Startup Migrants founder Maria Amelie.
"Oslo-based entrepreneur Olivier Mukuta was awarded the the Nordic Startup Awards last October 30th, in the Brave Founder Beginnings category, the first of its kind in the Scandinavian startup event, co-organized by Startup Migrants."